What is considered the first TV season? I Love Lucy question - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Yong Fang · 02-18-2021, 09:22 AM

What is considered the first TV season? The first year where there was dedicated TV programs? I think 1946 is considered the first year although there was TV since about 1939 although this was experimental and mostly hobbyists and whatnot then.

I Love Lucy started in 1951, 70 years this fall. What was the highest rated show before Lucy? Is Lucy the first hit show nationwide? This was at a time where not all major cities even had the major networks setup yet. My hometown of Memphis Tennessee didn’t even have a CBS affiliate until 1956. Lucy was on the NBC affiliate before then.

Were there any popular shows before Lucy? Lucy has to have been the most popular show nationalize, the first. Before then? What?

RetroGuy2000 · 02-18-2021, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yong Fang

What is considered the first TV season? The first year where there was dedicated TV programs? I think 1946 is considered the first year although there was TV since about 1939 although this was experimental and mostly hobbyists and whatnot then.

Yes, 1946 to 1947 is considered the first TV season. Only DuMont and NBC were broadcasting over a network at that time. Prior to that, individual stations were airing shows, but not with a live feed over a network (at that time, a coaxial cable line between stations), at least not on a permanent basis.

Brooks and Marsh's book lists regular television schedules for NBC and DuMont starting in Fall 1946, with CBS and ABC added in 1948. Alex McNeil's book doesn't list schedules until 1948.

The Hooperatings (from the Hooper company) measured TV and radio ratings until 1950.

Quote:

I Love Lucy started in 1951, 70 years this fall. What was the highest rated show before Lucy? Is Lucy the first hit show nationwide? This was at a time where not all major cities even had the major networks setup yet. My hometown of Memphis Tennessee didn’t even have a CBS affiliate until 1956. Lucy was on the NBC affiliate before then.

Were there any popular shows before Lucy? Lucy has to have been the most popular show nationalize, the first. Before then? What?

As ABH states, Texaco Star Theater was #1 in 1950-1951. But Alex McNeil's book also lists Texaco Star Theater as #1 for the 1949-1950 season.

1960'sTVfan · 02-18-2021, 11:40 AM

Wikipedia states that the first network television season in the USA was in 1946-47. 1948-49 was the first season with the three networks, ABC, CBS, and NBC. DuMont was a 4th network until it closed down in 1956.

Mary Kay And Johnny is a notable TV series from the late 1940's as it was the first sitcom to be broadcast on network TV in the USA.

02-18-2021, 09:22 AM	#1
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	What is considered the first TV season? I Love Lucy question What is considered the first TV season? The first year where there was dedicated TV programs? I think 1946 is considered the first year although there was TV since about 1939 although this was experimental and mostly hobbyists and whatnot then. I Love Lucy started in 1951, 70 years this fall. What was the highest rated show before Lucy? Is Lucy the first hit show nationwide? This was at a time where not all major cities even had the major networks setup yet. My hometown of Memphis Tennessee didn’t even have a CBS affiliate until 1956. Lucy was on the NBC affiliate before then. Were there any popular shows before Lucy? Lucy has to have been the most popular show nationalize, the first. Before then? What?

02-18-2021, 11:40 AM	#3
1960'sTVfan Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 30, 2009 Posts: 6,076	Wikipedia states that the first network television season in the USA was in 1946-47. 1948-49 was the first season with the three networks, ABC, CBS, and NBC. DuMont was a 4th network until it closed down in 1956. Mary Kay And Johnny is a notable TV series from the late 1940's as it was the first sitcom to be broadcast on network TV in the USA.